The Rise of Temp Recruitment
Are you experiencing a sudden surge in business? Are you requiring an expert to complete specialist projects? If yes, the answer is temporary workers.
Gone are the structured 9-5 days that the business world operated in, not so long ago. Instead, it has been irreversibly transformed by huge tech advancements, accelerated connectivity and seismic shifts in culture. Organisations now seek ways to cut costs and be as flexible as possible to adapt to the rapidly moving competitive market.
And the story tells a similar tale for employees. Freedom and flexibility are the words to grace the lips of many workers, introducing the growing phenomenon of temping. Traditionally, the perception towards ‘job-hopping’, so to speak, in the eyes of potential employers was a major red flag. Today, the UK economy sees a 40% rise in the number of agency workers over the last ten years.
This blog will diagnose the root cause for why temping has grown so rapidly in recent years, and the outcome it is predicted to leave on the business landscape for the future.
Why is it rising?
Does a ‘skills-gap’ problem spring to mind? Whilst having a highly flexible workforce to plug staffing gaps is a way for British businesses to remain competitive, this is not the only reason for the high growth in temporary workers. More and more organisations are realising this, adopting a strategic approach to introduce specialist, flexible workers into their team.
A Clever Hiring Strategy
Just as temporary talent can provide integral support to permanent teams during peak demand, more leaders are coming to terms with the idea of using temporary staff to play a core role in a more proactive recruitment strategy. Having ambitious plans to increase overheads may seem a daunting task for any hiring manager, the solution to hire agency temps paves the way to continually renew business growth and make paramount hiring decisions for the future based on demand.
Think of it as a ‘try before you buy’ solution, with potential to offer a permanent position later down the line. Evaluating performance, attitude to work and their overall suitability for the role without the financial burden of a permanent job offer is a benefit in the eyes of any potential employer. There is nothing worse than committing all your time, money and energy into someone, who a few months in, is not the right fit for the company.
The Cultural Shift
The UK recently has had to come to terms with alterations in business models and structure, thanks to digital transformations and cultural changes. Tapping into a working environment of flexibility, autonomy and a work-life balance present a profitable opportunity for employers to enhance their market adaptability. Taking on temporary workers not only reduces fixed costs in terms of salaries and training, but it enables firms to handle rising workloads head on.
Fresh Set of Eyes
Introducing temporary workers isn’t just a quick, short-term fix, it can potentially provide your business with a fresh outlook to instigate continued growth. Many temp workers are highly skilled, experienced professionals, who have worked for some of the largest and most-recognised global companies, alongside a number of rapidly growing start-ups. Introducing specialists into your team can bring a fresh perspective to the company, offering new ideas to worn out, tired projects.
Ease and Simplicity
Taking the plunge to recruit temp workers may seem like another overwhelming, tedious hiring process to undertake. Well, you’re mistaken. Specialist temp recruitment agencies, with an endless string of talent waiting at their doorstep, are able to carry out this process smoothly and professionally, only requiring you to say yes to the temp!
At Executive Partnerships, not only do we advertise the role and screen applicants, our seamless finance team deal with all administration duties, from payroll, national insurance, holiday and sick pay. We save you valuable time by offering an online timesheet system to edit and approve timesheets and view invoices from any device anywhere in the world – just simply log in!
Does the future look bleak for permanent employees?
Without a doubt, long-term employees will remain a permanent fixture within business structures for some time, but small shifts are being made and acknowledged, affecting the future of our workforce.
The uncertainty of Brexit on businesses creates a predicament on the future economy of the UK. Committing to permanent fixed costs is something many want to avoid until the uncertainty settles, making many large firms turn to hiring contractors and temp workers over full time employees, reducing costs whilst solving a surge in demand.
A more extreme scenario is the impact digital transformations are having on our workforce. Slowly but surely, advancements in tech and AI are replacing people with machines, creating an augmented workforce that potentially could substitute a large proportion of activities humans currently perform. Specialist workers will be required to step in and fill the skill-gaps machines are unable to perform. But where does this leave everyone else?
Temping typically is sometimes seen less favourably, but the reality couldn’t be further from this myth. Temporary talent, agency workers can offer organisations strategic support, invaluable insight and project management thanks to their rich experience. And the forecast is only set to rise. Employers are unlocking the power of temp workers to drive business growth through specialist skills and rich experience.
Is your business missing a trick?
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Are you an EA, PA, or business support professional looking to take your career to the next level? Executive Partnerships can help. We’re a specialist recruitment agency working with leading companies and organisations to connect them with talented staff. Learn more at www.executivepartnerships.co.uk.
